Pharmacology
Academic Year 2025/2026 - Teacher: GIULIA DI BENEDETTOExpected Learning Outcomes
In the first part of the present course, students will acquire information about basic principles in Pharmacology, from drug development processes to pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, drugs mechanisms, signal transduction pathways, factors affecting response to drugs, adverse drug reactions. In the second part, students will be introduced to an overview of selected drug classes and their clinical applications.
Course Structure
Traditional classes. Students are invited to actively participate with questions and comments on discussed topics.
If the teaching is given in a mixed or remote mode, necessary changes may be introduced in order to fullfill all statements in the Syllabus.
Required Prerequisites
Basic knowledge in the following topics: Anatomy, Histology, Biochemistry, Physiology, Pathology, Microbiology.
Attendance of Lessons
Detailed Course Content
General Pharmacology
- General principles of Pharmacology
- Development of a drug
- Routes of administration
- Pharmacokinetics: absorption, diffusion, metabolism and elimination of drugs
- Pharmacodynamics: biological targets of drugs, classification of receptors and receptor theories, concentration-response curve
- Signal transduction mechanisms
- Agonists and antagonists
- Factors that influence the response to drugs
- Adverse drug reactions
Clinical Pharmacology
- Neurotransmitters and neuromodulators (synthesis, metabolism, distribution, functions, targets, drugs): acetylcholine, adrenaline and noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, GABA, glutamate, histamine, opioids, arachidonic acid
- General and local anesthetics
- Drugs of the cardiovascular system, blood and kidney
- Diabetes medications
- Notes on drugs active on the gastrointestinal system
- General principles of antibacterial and antitumor chemotherapy
Textbook Information
- Rossi - Cuomo - Riccardi: Farmacologia - Principi di base e applicazioni terapeutiche, Minerva Medica, Edizione III e successive
- Rang - Dale: Farmacologia, Ed. Edra, Edizione VIII e successive
- Katzung - Preziosi - Masters – Trevor: Farmacologia Generale e Clinica, Piccin, Edizione IX e successive
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | General principles | see texbook tab |
| 2 | Drug development | see texbook tab |
| 3 | Drug administration routes | see texbook tab |
| 4 | Pharmacokinetics: absorption, diffusion, metabolism and elimination of drugs | see texbook tab |
| 5 | Pharmacodynamics: biological targets of drugs, classification of receptors and receptor theories, concentration-response curve | see texbook tab |
| 6 | Signal transduction mechanisms | see texbook tab |
| 7 | Agonists and antagonists | see texbook tab |
| 8 | Variability of therapeutic intervention | see texbook tab |
| 9 | Adverse drug reactions | see texbook tab |
| 10 | Neurotransmitters and neuromodulators (synthesis, metabolism, distribution, functions, targets, drugs): acetylcholine, adrenaline and noradrenaline, dopamine, serotonin, GABA, glutamate, histamine, opioids, arachidonic acid | see texbook tab |
| 11 | General and local anesthetics | see texbook tab |
| 12 | Drugs of the cardiovascular system, and active on the blood and the kidney | see texbook tab |
| 13 | Diabetes mellitus medications | see texbook tab |
| 14 | Brief summary of drugs active on the GI system | see texbook tab |
| 15 | General principles of antibacterial and antitumor chemotherapy | see texbook tab |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
Written test and oral exam about topics listed in the program and discussed during classes. The final evaluation will be determined by appropriate use of the scientific language, the ability to explain what has been learned, as well as by the skills of critical thinking.
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
Concentration-response curve; teratogenesis; diabetes mellitus medications; antibiotics.